Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-28
HIGH LICENSE.
What Its Advocates are Fighting for
Prohibition in Fact.

Prohibition in Fact.
TERRELL, Ten, Feb. %. 1887.
To the Editor of the Gazette.
will write to ascertain whether or
not high license as advocated by THE
GAZETTE means a perpetuation OF the
liquor traffic on a more limited scale, or
is it the entering wedge to state prohibit
ton, and selected as the most insidious
method of accomplishing that end?
The high license idea, if followed out
in letter and spirit, can have NO other re-
suit. 1t will require time, of coufse, to
accomplish such purpose by any such
methods, but it will fol-
low with the same certainty
thst dark follows dawn if human nature
remains unchanged. High and low are
relative terms as applied to the amount
paid into the state treasury for the priv
lege of selling spirituous liquors, and
mean nothing except by comparison. The
high license of six years ago, at which a
howl went up, not only from dealers but
from the patrons of cross roads doggeries,
was not deemed high license six months
ago; and the former patrons of country
dram shops felt no inconvenience
d. GI!tlI 4OSSs run years 1EOul HOW
the sum fixed by the present
Legislature in case the bill passes for
the privilege of vending intoXicants will
not be considered eXtrGvagsnt and the
number OF saloons can be again reduced
so per cent. without interfering with the
comfort or happiness of the public, and
when four more years have come anG
gone, The number can be again diminished
so per cent. by raising the license without
detriment to the public veal. And four
years later would tind public sentiment
ready to indorse another advance that
would diminish the number still in eX-
istence. In this manner, aided by strin-
gent laws to prevent adulteratiOn, the
price Of pure liquors sold over a bar
would advance to where only the weslthy
could enjoy such Injuries, and then in
deed would the doom of the traffic be
sealed. For during the ten or twelve
years that would necessarily elapse (be-
ginning now before the number of sa-
looms could, by the high license system,
be reduced to half dozen in the state,
the sentiment Of the public with refer
ence to the traffic would be undergoing a
constant change, and when these last
half dozen were swept from existence by
a prohihitory law, the public demand
for the passage of such measure would
be backed by public feeling that would
enforce its provisions. Decrease the
number of saloons from time to time by
high license until only half dozen re-
main in the state; and by that time pub
lie sentiment will be so changed that the
men who to-day contend for the right to
buy and drink al pleasure, will point to
the six remaining saloons as standing
monuments of shame to the law making
power of the state that permits their eX
istence.
To accomplish such purpose, how
ever, high license advocates and the true
friends of prohibition must stop their
ears to the senseless howl of
misguided zealots and the ingen-
ious arguments of its pretended
friends. Impatient Prohioltionists are
doing much to retsrd progress IN this
direction, and the professional temper
auce lecturer is 8 curse to the cause. l
quote from en- Austin special in yester-
days GAZETTE: "Mr. Brooks Of Mis-
souri,, who lectured in the hall of the
House last night on temperance, opposs
licensing the sale of iutoXicants. He
was either for pre- hibiting the sale alto
gether or repeating the license law and
allowing everybody to vend it free with
out any restrictions" Ii Mr.. Brooks of
Missouri will don white apron and dis
pense drinks over bsr, he will do the